President Medina in New York for UN Assembly
After arriving to New York City on Sunday, 17 September 2017, President Danilo Medina held a private meeting with United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres to discuss advances made in exploratory talks in Santo Domingo with the opposing government and opposition parties of Venezuela. The talks were brokered by President Medina and former President of Spain Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The Santo Domingo talks took place on Wednesday and Thursday. As reported, President Medina also spoke of the interest of the Dominican Republic in being elected for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

President Medina and First Lady Candida Montilla have traveled to New York City on Sunday to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

President Medina will be participating in the 72nd General Assembly of the United Nations. First Lady Candida Montilla has her own agenda in the general assembly. Also traveling to the UN sessions for the Dominican Republic are Administrative Minister of the Presidency José Ramón Peralta and Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas. Medina is also accompanied by communications director Roberto Rodríguez Marchena.

Venezuelans prepare for follow-up talks in Santo Domingo
The exploratory Venezuelan crisis talks that began last week in Santo Domingo are scheduled to continue in Santo Domingo on 27 September 2017, announced President Danilo Medina. President Medina and former President of Spain Jose Luis Zapatero served as brokers for the opposing parts in Venezuela to open talks. The talks will continue after President Medina returns from his participation in the UN General Assembly in New York City.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had appointed Jorge Rodriguez, mayor of Caracas’ Libertador municipality, to represent him along with his Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez and Venezuelan OAS ambassador Roy Chaderton Matos to participate in the exploratory talks that took place in Santo Domingo on Wednesday, 13 September 2017.

So far, the opposition MUD coalition has said that for the talks to move beyond the exploratory phase, pre-conditions need to be met. Attending the Santo Domingo event was deputy for the National Assembly (AN) Luis Florido, who said that if the formal talks were to happen, the opposition would reach out to Mexico and Chile as guarantee countries to help rebuild democratic coexistence. Others countries that would serve as guarantors would be Nicaragua and Bolivia, as well as the Dominican Republic. The UN is also designated as a possible guarantor by the parts.

Among the preconditions set by the MUD coalition for the opening of the talks are: local, regional and presidential elections with international observers be scheduled; the release of all political prisoners and the lifting of bans imposed on opposition leaders as well as an end to political persecution’ respect for the independence of the branches of state and the recognition of the opposition controlled National Assembly; immediate attention to the economic and social crisis.

DR monitors Hurricane Maria
The Dominican Republic reactivated its Emergency Operations Committee (COE) on Saturday, 16 September 2017, to prepare for the possible effects of Hurricane Maria as it moves west towards the Leeward Islands. Meanwhile, the COE reported that 20 provinces are under alert for flooding caused by rains brought by a tropical wave moving west from Puerto Rico.

According to Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo, a priority in the nation’s preparedness plan is to maintain the main roads of the country free of debris to assure the public safety and allow rescue workers to reach affected areas.

The storm is following a path whereby it is expected to swerve to the north after passing Puerto Rico, but weather forecasters urge the public to monitor the storm due to the uncertainties of the storm’s path.

PLD board meets, big decisions postponed
The Political Committee of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) met on Saturday, 16 September 2017, for seven hours but could not reach decisions on the Political Parties Bill and Electoral Bill snags. The bills are under study in the PLD-majority National Congress.

The Political Committee announced it would meet again on 2 October 2017, to continue to discuss the holding of the party’s primary and the impasse over whether the elections should be based a voting list in which anyone could cast a vote, or a voting list that is limited to the party members.

Party general secretary, Reinaldo Pared Perez, said that 32 of the 35 members participated in the meeting, including President Danilo Medina and former President Leonel Fernandez, who is also president of the PLD.

Pared Perez said that the members agreed to keep the 2% threshold of the vote the recognition of political parties by the Central Electoral Board (JCE), increase from 37 to 40% the participation of women in congress, and 50% at a municipal level, and 40% of the leadership positions in the PLD. The party top brass also agreed that the internal campaigns of aspirants for mayor open the year prior to the election.

PRSC elects two boards for the same party
The two factions within the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) each held their assemblies to elect the president of the party for the 2018-2022 term on Sunday, 17 September 2017. The party is split between the two groups that claim to be the true party leadership. It is expected that the Superior Electoral Court (TSA) will eventually decide who is the president of the party.

The PRSC was government for decades under the late President Joaquín Balaguer. Balaguer in 1996 would back aspirations of Leonel Fernandez of the PLD, being key to the party reaching power that year. Until the 2016 election, the PRSC had been an ally of the PLD. Now the party is divided among those who continue to support the PLD and those who want to go their own way.

The Victor (Ito) Bisonó faction elected the harmonized ballot with senator José Hazim Frappier. Likewise the faction confirmed others on the ballot that are: acting president, deputy Victor (Ito) Bisono. The elected secretary of the organization is Miguel Bogaert. The vice presidents are Luis José González, Modesto Guzmán and Milton Ginebra. The assembly also announced the start of a national party restructuring plan, that will be supervised by a commission to be presided by Licelotte Marte de Barrios. This faction has been a key supporter of the government.

A second faction of the PRSC party, elected engineer Federico (Quique) Antún Batlle as president, and Ramón Rogelio Genao as general secretary of the PRSC. Others were Eddy Alcántara as acting president, Máximo Castro Silverio as first vice president; and Wellington Mejia, Jacqueline Peña and Manuel Olivero as deputy secretary generals. Ricardo Espaillat was chosen first vice president and Sergia Elena de Selima as second vice president. http://elnacional.com.do/reformistas...ente-del-prsc/http://elnacional.com.do/faccion-prs...rogelio-genao/

Marcha Verde protest in La Vega
The Marcha Verde civic group called for all citizens to continue to fight for an end to impunity in the Dominican Republic. The Green March movement carried out a protest march in La Vega on Sunday, 17 September 2017.

"Not one step back. The curators of this political swamp that is our government must realize that in the Dominican Republic the citizenry will not rest until all corruption and impunity are swept away!,” the Marcha Verde leaders announced as part of the protest manifesto in La Vega on Sunday.

The organization protested that the government has become an ally and judicial protector of political and business criminals such as Odebrecht that with their bribes devour the resources of the people who lack even basic services, stated the Carta Verde, a letter directed to the late PLD party leader Juan Bosch.

Taking advantage of the march in La Vega, the group demanded the immediate publishing of the audit carried out to the previous municipality and the transparency of information on the mining funds of the province.

The people of La Vega complained that corruption has stolen the funds that would have gone to the construction of an extension of the state university (UASD), the Soto-La Lima road, the operation of the Santo Cerro aqueduct, the reconstruction of the bridge over Camu River and the completion of the Guaigüí Dam that was begun in 2000.

Race for Water – Dominican Republic stopover
After a two-week stop on its second oceanic tour to promote technology-based solutions for ocean conservation, Race for Water Odyssey team reported carrying out on-the-ground surveys on the various waste management networks, conferences, meetings, workshops and school visits. There was a major focus on the problems of plastic wastes and waste management in the Dominican Republic. The visit had the support of the Dominican Armada, the Swiss Embassy and the Dominican-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. The visit coincided with the passing of Hurricane Irma.

The Race for Water Odyssey team participated in the conference “Think Innovation: Waste & Energy for Sustainability”. Featuring over 150 experts, the conference cycle is organized each year in Santo Domingo through the Dominican-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Tourism and gathers together an audience of local and international specialists from the world of energy and new technologies.

Five drown in Puerto Plata river crash
The decision to ride in a vehicle known to have break failure problems is mentioned as the cause of the death of four family members who had driven up into the Cupey mountain for a weekend eco-touristic and cattle-ranching fair outing.

The tragedy occurred late at night on Friday, 15 September 2017, when the vehicle tumbled into the San Marcos River as the group returned to Puerto Plata. Hours went by before a report reached rescue services in Puerto Plata. The deceased were driver Robert Minaya, his wife Jenny Calvo, his two daughters Estefani and Jeimi Raysi Calvo and the friend of the family Amauris Mercado Ramos, a tradesman who traveled frequently to the USA. The bodies of all but 17-year old Jeimi Raysi Calvo were extracted from the vehicle. Calvo’s body was found on the bottom of the river.

Autopsy determines Kimberly died crushed by SUV
Prosecutor Olga Dina Llaverias reported that the results of the Inacif autopsy of the corpse of 16-year old Kimberly Adon confirmed she died due to injuries caused when she was run over by a vehicle. The autopsy found contusions and hemorraghing in the right lung, back muscles, liver, back of the neck, both arms and glutes.

The girl had left her residence in Saba Perdida in a vehicle accompanied by several friends. The vehicle in which they were transported, a Mitsubishi Montero turned over at Avenida Los Restauradores in Santo Domingo Norte leaving the minor pinned under the vehicle.

The prosecutor said that Francisco Emilio Abreu Villar was ordered to serve three months preventive custody at La Victoria for the violation of traffic Law 63-17 (articles 210, 220, 299, 300, 301-302-and 303).

Also under pre-trial arrest are Joel Félix Peña and José Félix, father of the other minor that was accompanying Kimberly, and who is accused of covering up the accident and the circumstances of the death of Adon.

The lawyer of the deceased’s family, Esteban Mella said that he would appeal because the accusation should be for seduction of minors.

Audrys Nin Reyes wins gold in artistic gymnastics
Audrys Nin Reyes won gold at the FIG World Challenge Cup – 20th Internationaux de France 2017, that took place on Saturday and Sunday, 16-17 September 2017 in Paris, France. The competition encompassed men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics at the senior level. Audrys Nin won gold in men’s vault final results, with 14.875, defeating two runner-up gymnasts from Ukraine.

Also known as the Paris Challenge, the cup is the final world cup of gymnastics season and marked the end of a long season of all-around and apparatus world cups and challenge cups, coming in as gymnasts put in final preparations for world championships that will begin in just over two weeks.

Nin was ranked first in men’s vault final results, 7th in men’s vault qualification results, 32nd in men’s P-bars qualification results, and 38th in men’s high bar qualification results.

Bulgaria defeats DR in U23 Volleyball for the bronze
The Dominican Republic finished fourth in the 2017 FIVB Women’s U23 World Championship. The team was affected by a major injury that its star player Madeline Guillen suffered in a previous game.
In the game for the bronze medal, the team of Bulgaria outclassed the Dominican Republic under 23 years women’s volleyball team during the Slovenia World Championship that took place on Sunday, 17 September 2017. Bulgaria won 4-2 (12-15, 15=8, 15-11, 16=-18, 15-11 and 15-9) to finish third in the championship.

The DR had previously lost to Turkey in a thrilling game that ended 4-3 in favor of the Turkish team. During the game, key player Madeline Guillen had to be carried off to hospital in a stretcher after a left knee injury at 3-3 in the fifth set. The 16-year-old outside hitter had been her side's best scorer to that moment with 12 points.

The DR had advanced to the semi-finals earlier after defeating China on Thursday, 14 September 2017 with a 4-0 sweep, finishing second in the first round behind Slovenia. Nevertheless, on 15 September, the DR lost 4-3 to Thailand (9-15, 12-15, 15-12, 11-15, 15-12, 15-11, and 21-19).

DR defeats Peru in Davis Cup
The Dominican Republic Davis Cup tennis team defeated Peru 1-4 this weekend, to remain in the Americas Group I of the Davis Cup. With Roberto Cid and Victor Estrella playing doubles, the DR clinched the win against Peru in the tournament played this weekend at the Parque del Este in eastern Santo Domingo. The Dominicans won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

Contemporary Dance Festival opens 19 September 2017
From Tuesday, 19 September through Sunday, 1 October 2017, dance fans in the Dominican Republic will be able to enjoy 17 contemporary dance performances as part of the 13th International Contemporary Dance Festival (Edanco) at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Santo Domingo. The event is an opportunity for local dance groups to present their new choreographies and talent of their dancers, while at the same time learning from visiting performing groups.

The guest country in 2017 is Spain that will be represented by the veteran dancer and choreographer Carmen Werner. Participating in the festival will be dance companies from Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Martinique, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United States and Venezuela from the Americas; Croatia, Poland and Spain for Europe and Taiwan from Asia.